What’s Hot? The Latest Insights and Trends in Affiliate Marketing

Let’s face it: 2020 was a mess. And while we’re only three months away from entering the next chapter named 2022, it is quite clear that the digital environment has transformed for the better.

There were many questions and concerns about the state of affiliate marketing. But the industry is safe and sound, maybe even more thriving than before.

General Overview

As the holiday season is almost upon us — Halloween, Black Friday, Cyber Monday, Christmas, and New Year holidays — the digital marketing industry is hard at work. Chances are you might hear a buzz from the beehive if you observe and listen carefully.

The transforming nature of this industry, however, makes it harder for affiliates to work solo. To the disappointment of many, a lone wolf mode is no longer an option. Why is that? Well, it is practically impossible for one person to fill the shoes of every member of a well-organized team.

Another way to explain similar shifts is the newly introduced term K-shaped recovery. In a nutshell, it implies an uneven post-recession recovery of some market segments or verticals. But we’ll get back to this later.

And now, let’s take a closer look at the emerging trends and how they are reshaping the internet marketing industry.

Trend #1. Carrier Billing

This mobile payment method is, essentially, simplifying the checkout process. It is no secret that direct operator billing is typical for Tier 3 countries. However, when the market evolves, heavy regulations are introduced, and payment providers come into play. In other words, the ones evolving out of this zone are likely to give up this payment option. The good news is that GEOs remaining in the Tier 3 area can still use it.

Trend #2. Amazon Partner Program

Amazon is a well-known industry giant. Amid the pandemic, the company’s sales surged dramatically. But at the same time, the partner program suffered a lot. It started with the reduced commissions, and then, a slightly diminishing interest followed.

But make no mistake, the partner program still remains an appealing option for publishers. A piece of advice, though: do not rely heavily on it and keep your eyes peeled at all times.

Trend #3. Tracking

Removing 3rd party tracking is a major trend right now. For instance, Google plans to phase out third-party cookies in two stages, starting in late 2022. But there are still ways to support tracking (like Voluum) with direct and redirect methods that do not need to support 3rd party cookies.

Trend #4. Teamwork

As mentioned before, working solo is no longer a safe bet for affiliates. The reason is simple: you have to be a jack of all trades. And as the saying goes, “Jack of all trades, master of none”. It might have been possible to work solo around 7 years ago when the industry was still in the early stages of its development.

Let’s reminisce for a while. Remember when it was a common practice for super affiliates to show off their extravagant lifestyle in videos and social media posts? Well, it’s no longer a thing. Fulfilling every role is an unmanageable task. You cannot be a writer, a web developer, an accountant, a designer, a marketer, and a living, breathing human being with no time left for sleep. Ultimately, teamwork is the only way to keep the business going.

Trend #5. Automation

Oh, the sacred automation. The previous point has proven that teamwork and delegation are the new normal for all types of affiliates. Naturally, automation can come in handy if you’re only starting and cannot afford to build a team. For those suffering from a regular workload, it can help with the execution but won’t completely relieve the pressure of multitasking. Still, it is an excellent choice if you want to free up your schedule from routine tasks.

#6. Flexible Ads

Nothing is ever in stone. The same is true of advertising. Since the industry becomes even more dynamic daily, advertisers have to go with the flow and learn to be more flexible.

Here’s the thing: ad saturation is increasing. Look at YouTube with its audio-based ad units created specifically for its podcasts and music player. But at the same time, there is Facebook doing the exact opposite — introducing limitations to the number of ads per page. The latter may actually come in handy for advertisers and allow them to optimize their campaigns more efficiently.

At the end of the day, the increased number of ad units and better optimization opportunities are equally beneficial to marketers and will allow reaching the target audience more effectively.

Affiliate Marketing Is Here to Stay

There is a paradox about the state of the industry: it keeps evolving and remains unchanged at the same time. And since the times are unprecedented, marketers are the ones that have to adapt.

So ultimately, what you need to do is be vigilant, ready to adjust your strategies and approaches, and think ahead.